ON HOLD

A large octagonal bevelled mirror with wide, crackled, faux tortoiseshell bevelled frame. A Maitland-Smith brass plate is attached and a signed quality control sticker still in place, dated 18 April 1986.

The surface is a fine, thin veneer of colored, crackled Penshell, made to resemble tortoiseshell. This is a technique developed by Maitland-Smith in the 1980s, utilising the secondary shell product of the Pinnidae family of shells, which were harvested for various uses including food, pearls and the production of 'sea silk', as well as the use of the shell to create veneer.

The bevelled glass mirror is in perfect condition. The frame has small areas where the crackled shell has lifted ever so slightly and caused small bubbles of opacity in the lacquer. These are not loose from the frame. They are stable and firmly attached.

They are consistent and evenly distributed across the whole frame i.e. not apparent in one place any more than another. They are natural signs of age and do not detract but rather add to the vintage status of the frame.

See images for detail. We further note that tortoiseshell has been illegal to trade since the 1970s and could not have been used because it would have prevented the import/export of products of the Maitland-Smith company from the Philippines to the USA. This is an exportable product.

DIMENSIONS

Height 137.5 cm

Width 92 cm

Depth 5 cm

CONDITION

Bevelled glass mirror in perfect condition. Frame has small areas where crackled shell has lifted ever so slightly and caused small bubbles of opacity in the lacquer. These are not loose from the frame. They are stable and firmly attached. See images.